Soulmates
by lilagrace2011
Summary: Dixon asks Liam to look out for his little sister Annie who is moving to Beverly hills from Kansas to start college. A college AU with Navid/Adrianna, Teddy/Silver, Naomi/Max.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Dixon is a junior music executive who has to go promote a new band. The only problem? His 18 year old sister Annie is coming to visit for the month before starting college. Dixon leaves his roommate, Liam, to watch out for her until he gets back. Lannie summer fluff.**

Twenty-one year old Liam was standing out front in his bar, taking inventory when his roommate Dixon strut in. Dixon had a huge cocky grin on his face.

"Hey man! You will not believe my news!" Dixon called out in his usual chill voice.

Liam looked up from the clipboard he was holding. "Oh yeah?" He and Dixon had both taken non traditional paths after high school. Liam had started bar-tending; working his way up to assistant manager, manager, and now co-owner with Old Salty. Meanwhile, Dixon was pursuing his passion in the music industry. They both had a ton more freedom than there other friends like Teddy and Navid who were stuck in classes. Honestly, Liam didn't see the point of paying lots of money to suffer through higher education. That wasn't him, he and Dixon both wanted to make it on their own and respected each other's ambitions.

"Yeah but first I have a little favor to ask," Dixon was saying.

"I don't think so bro."

"You don't even know what I'm about to ask. Why can't you take a second to hear me out?"

"Dixon, the last two times I was asked to 'do a favor'" Liam slapped the clipboard down to air quote, "I was set-up and I don't think the third time is about to be any charm."

"Paranoid." Dixon coughed under his breath.

"Oh really? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time Navid asked for a favor, I ended up on a couple's weekend with them and Adriana's friend Naomi. I ended up pandering to her every whim while she cried over Max -"

"This is different," Dixon cut in.

"And then Teddy...'please date Silver'...forgetting to mention she's bipolar and then _he_ falls in love with her to top it off."

"Aren't they moving in together?"

"I think so." Liam shook his head at that. Out of nowhere, Teddy Montgomery, a disciplined athlete decides Erin Silver is his soul mate? Unfathomable..

"Ok! I get that you don't want a girlfriend but this is not a set-up. I repeat this is NOT A SET-UP. You remember my sister, Annie, all I need is for you to keep her out of trouble... for a week tops."

"Come again?"

"I mean she's moving on campus this fall and staying with me...er us..starting this weekend until classes start back up."

"I think you neglected to mention that."

"Sorry, but look I have to go promote this new album for the label and it's real important."

"I don't know-"

"I'll only be away a week and she's got nowhere else. I mean our mom's going to Paris and our Dad's preoccupied with his own drama."

Liam kind of got where Dixon was coming from, family was a big deal to him but "Annie? I don't know..I mean when she was a freshman and we were seniors she had the hugest crush on me."

"All freshman girls crush on senior guys. Plus she hasn't talked about you since. Plus she makes the worst choices in guys. Have I ever told you about the psycho Jasper she dated last year? The girl definitely needs someone looking out for her interests until I get back."

Next Saturday night Liam's party was in progress. He liked inviting people and girls back after closing time. That was one perk of living upstairs from the bar. Dixon also liked having singers, bands, and music executives over and their parties tended to get pretty chaotic in the best way.

Liam opened the door to Silver and Teddy. "Tell me you two did not get married." he asked watching Teddy whisk Silver off the ground and carry her bridal style into his crowded living room.

"Not yet..just practicing," Teddy called back.

"Oh great," Liam intoned. He was about to shut the door, when some girl pushed it right in his face. She was wearing a teeny jean skirt and baby doll top. Her nails were bright blue matching her clear aquamarine eyes. Her light brown hair cascaded in endless waves.

Annie gasped and who could blame her? Liam, her oldest crush in the world, was leaning against the door jam looking hotter than ever. "Hi," she said.

"Hey." Liam looked at her, he barely recognized her as Dixon's little sister anymore. She appeared more confident and seductive than he recalled.

"Is Dixon around?" Annie asked. "The loser forgot to pick me up from the airport."

Oops. Liam knew Dixon would give him hell for forgetting to get Annie. "Well you made it didn't you?"

Annie gazed through the door at the drinking and partying, "Wait is this my welcome to LA party?" she squealed.

"Not really."

Annie's eyes narrowed a fraction.

"Dixon mentioned you'd be staying with us."

"Well he didn't mention you lived here." She surveyed the party. "This summer is just full of surprises."

"I just found out too, but whatever. I guess we can always use a hot babe to cook and clean."

"Then I suggest you hire one."

"Well then let me suggest you hire a welcoming committee if that's what you're expecting."

"Liam! Stop playing around and just tell me where my brother is. Since he didn't make it to get me, I had to take a cab and I have no money to pay the driver. He's waiting."

Liam frowned. Just perfect. Why did Dixon have to make him into some glorified babysitter? "I'll take care of it." He brushed past her, expecting her to follow him back down, but instead she went inside.

Ten minutes later, Liam returned exerting an extraordinary amount of effort hauling the numerous heavy luggage bags Annie hadn't mentioned would be waiting for him. Dixon was going to owe him big time. He glanced around not seeing her so he toted everything into Dixon's room. "Hey! What the -" his plan was to dump everything on the bed, but he was caught off guard seeing Teddy and Silver in it making out and engaged in some pretty heavy petting.

"Killer party," Teddy commented not taking his eyes off Silver, who was staring at him with her sultry mocha eyes.

Liam gave him a sarcastic grunt, dropping his load on the ground.

"What's with all the suitcases?" Silver asked.

"Oh. That's a great story. You didn't see a brunette in a short skirt around did you?"

"Is that rhetorical? Take your pick, there's about twenty girls that fit that description."

"Yeah well this one is Dixon's little sister and I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on her. Or whatever."

Silver and Teddy both shook their head. It was pretty obvious to Liam where both of their minds were at.

"You know what never mind." Liam slammed Dixon's door shut giving them back their privacy.  
Snaking his way through groups of people and overlapping conversations, he eventually caught sight of Annie. She was sandwiched between two guys on a love seat. One was his bartender, Greg, sliding his hand over the hemline of her skirt and the other was a friend of Teddy's that played Lacrosse. Both were riveted to Annie. Maybe Dixon did have a point about Annie's track record with guys. Liam marched right over in his usual nonchalant swagger before anything further could precipitate. "Annie. What are you doing?"

"Just making friends," Annie beamed. "Where's Dixon at?"

"He had some music business so he's not gonna be around this week."

"He never told me that."

"Yeah clearly Dixon has communication issues. Anyway, your stuff is in his room," Liam indicated towards the bedrooms. He observed Teddy and Silver returning to the party sharing secret smiles with each other. "Anyway why don't you go hang out in there and unpack or watch tv."

"Why?"

"Cuz I'm not having some high schooler crashing my party."

"I'm 18!"

"I don't care, go in your brother's room and leave my friend's alone."

"What's your problem?" Greg complained.

"You don't have to encourage her," Liam replied brooding as he watched Annie stomp to the room.  
"You sound a little jealous," Teddy's friend stated in a knowing voice.

"Be real. I am not jealous of anyone. I am not the jealous type."

"Yeah well I think you just met your match."

Liam looked back in Annie's direction. Love at first sight? That was Teddy and Silver. High school sweethearts? That was Ade and Navid. He was free and that was how things were going to stay.

Please Review if you liked this chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for your awesome reviews! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.  
**Summary: Dixon is a junior music executive who has to go promote a new band. The only problem? His 18 year old sister Annie is coming to visit for the month before starting college. Dixon leaves his roommate, Liam, to watch out for her until he gets back. Lannie summer fluff.**

Annie was buttering herself a fresh cinnamon bagel and enjoying the panoramic view from Liam's balcony the following morning. She couldn't help but admiring her new home in the metropolitan hub of Beverly Hills. She'd been dreaming about living in California ever since she could remember. Just then her phone rang.

"Hi mom." It was her mother, Debbie Wilson, from France.

"Hi honey! I wanted to check in. How are you? Was your plane trip okay?"

"Everything is fine mom," Annie said convincingly, deciding to omit the little detail of Liam being here instead of Dixon.

"Do you think you'll be okay on your own?"

"I'm not on my own, mom!" Annie argued, as Liam walked out into the living room.

"I know Dixon's there, but you're still living away from me ...and dad."

Annie sighed at her mother's over protectiveness. This was not the case when Dixon moved out.

"I'm just worried about you Annie," her mother finished.

"There is absolutely no reason for you to worry. Besides I'll call you if I need you."

"Can I talk to Dixon?"

"Why? Don't you believe everything I'm saying? You never trust me!"

"Annie! Dixon is responsible, so of course I trust his judgment."

Annie found that laughable considering the circumstances. Dixon ditching her for his job. "Mom, Dixon's working and I have to go!"

Annie's attention shifted to Liam turning on the Kurig coffee maker. She slid onto a bar stool at the breakfast bar and set her plate down beside the coffee maker.

"Ade and Navid are coming soon and we're all going to the beach," Liam informed her.

"Really? That sounds fun!" Annie said popping a strawberry in her mouth. She quickly forgot about her stressful conversation with her mom. So many girls would kill to be living in paradise with Liam, the ultimate cherry on top.

Liam couldn't imagine how someone could possibly be that excited over going to the beach; something so ordinary. He shrugged. Annie jumped up to start getting ready even though he hadn't actually invited her along. However, he figured he probably needed to take her on account of Dixon.

"How do I look?" Annie twirled around in a pink halter bikini, with excitement dancing in her eyes, about ten minutes later.

"Fine," Liam replied, downing black coffee to help him fight the partial hangover he had from the previous night. He watched Annie dabbing sunscreen on her face and shoulders. More accurately he stared at her. Wow. He never knew sunscreen could be so sexy. It had to be the sunscreen turning him on, _it had to be_. She noticed him staring. Whoops. He clearly was not used to cohabiting with a girl.

"You want some?" she asked, offering him the tube.

"I'm good," he responded. She _was_ pretty adorable, not that he'd be admitting that to anyone else. She made him remember what it was like three years ago when he had moved to West Bev from Kansas. He and Dixon had felt like every direction was calling their name. Not like Ade, Navid, Silver, and Teddy who grew up in West Beverly. They took it all for granted.

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Silver and Teddy were making out on the blanket beside where Naomi sat in a beach chair with umbrella. Her blond ponytail swished in the breeze. She wore a white bikini with bright red ties and shades shielding her eyes, giving her the allure of a mysterious starlet

"Oh thank gawd! I thought you guys were going to leave me alone with dirty porn star Romeo and Juliet all afternoon!" Naomi shrilled from her throne.

Adrianna giggled as Navid set up a few more chairs. Annie recognized the couple from the previous night. Silver was wearing a black bikini and Teddy also had a black swimsuit and fitted t-shirt on. Liam slammed down the cooler in the sand.

"Hey Leo! Fabulous to see you again," Naomi spoke condescendingly, it was hard for Annie to tell whether her tone was intentional.

"It's Liam."

"Oh. Right." She said dryly. "Who are you?" her attention shifting from Liam's chiseled abs to Annie. "Since _LIAM _has no manners to introduce you himself."

"Annie," Annie gave the blond a friendly smile.

"I'm Naomi Clark. I'll be a freshman at California U this fall."

"So will I!" Annie said, excited at the prospect of knowing another freshman at her university.

"Tell me you are not dating Liam."

"Why?" Annie asked Naomi.

"We are not dating," Liam announced. "I'm chaperoning his little sister until Dixon gets back."

Naomi and everyone giggled at Liam's adamant reaction. Annie's face flushed and she crossed her arms. She was 18! Why was Liam treating her like a child?

"Got it." Naomi stated. "Lucky you," she smirked at Annie. "You can do way better." It was clearly a comment intended for Liam's benefit so Annie didn't bother responding. Truthfully, she spent all of junior high and the beginning of high school carrying a torch for the guy. Her older brother's best friend and by definition totally off limits. But once he moved away, she got distracted with other love interests and then her parents problems always seemed to take center stage. She certainly didn't plan on a future where they would be living together. She knew he and Dixon still were tight, but roommates? Now Annie was not sure if all her feelings were truly in the past.

"Hey! Let's play volleyball!" Silver suggested once everyone got acquainted.

"See this is why I love this girl!" Teddy enthused.

"I call team captain," Naomi announced demandingly.

"We should do guys against girls," Adrianna interjected, removing the orchid patterned wrap covering her deep purple swimsuit.

"But there's an extra girl, you all have the advantage," Navid said teasing his girlfriend.

"That's right, it's not fair," Naomi agreed. "We should get first possession too."

Liam and Navid laughed over Naomi's interchanging sport verbiage. Teddy kissed Silver good luck and she slapped

his ass as he hustled under the net to join the guys.

"Okay! Annie you serve first since you're new," Naomi ordered, tossing the volleyball off to her.

Annie served the ball and it went into play on the first attempt. Liam called it, effortlessly volleying it back over. Silver returned it and Teddy spiked it back. As the game progressed, everyone seemed to be having a blast. Annie and Naomi started double-teaming Liam; taking turns setting the ball and spiking it in his direction.

"I think Naomi's gunning for my head over here. Good thing she has no aim," Liam joked obnoxiously through the net as Naomi took her serve.

"Lucky your head is so big I don't need it!"

Annie laughed at Liam and Naomi's heated exchange.

"What's so funny?" Liam asked meeting Annie's gaze as Naomi's first attempt failed to clear the net.

"Nothing...you just look so much like Justin Bieber when your pissed," she replied flippantly.

"Haha so true," Naomi slapped Annie in a high five.

"You're too much." Liam snapped. Seeing as how Liam was distracted, Naomi served the ball right at it him.

"Don't be salty," Navid said, whacking the ball over the net in place of Liam.

Adrianna lightly tipped it back, just over the net, to an opening on the guy's side.

Navid charged the ball and sprung up to hit it over scoring against the girls.

Teddy narrowly saved it before contacting the sand and Navid took advantage hitting back on the girl's side.

"Damn do you have to be such a powerhouse?" Silver yelled to Teddy, who tore off his shirt after skimming along the sand during the play.

"All for you baby!" Teddy called back, flexing his muscles. Silver blew him a kiss. Silver's charms made Teddy increasingly aggressive. He took over his side of the net completely, dive-bombing the ball every time it came over. Liam and Navid started getting annoyed Teddy was hogging the ball.

"I told you I had it!" Teddy yelled patronizingly when Navid hit it out of bounds.

"Yeah we know MVP," Liam snapped sarcastically as Teddy shoved him out of the way in order to spike the ball over the net.

"Yes game point! We win!" Teddy yelled again, feeling competitive adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"You cheated!" Naomi protested, but nobody seemed to care. Annie watched Liam brushing sand off his pecs. He was perfection.

"I am totally dehydrated," Adrianna said.

"Come on sweetie," Navid ducked under the net and led her towards the cooler.

"Let's go swimming!" Silver said to Teddy.

"Awesome," he said. Silver sprinted toward the Pacific splashing through the surf. Teddy caught her around the waist and tackled her into the waves.

"You coming?" Navid asked Adrianna, pulling off his shirt and tennis shoes.

"No, I wanna talk to Naomi. Later though." she promised, giving him a quick kiss. Annie decided to hang out with Naomi and Adrianna as Liam joined Navid.

Naomi broke the seal on a fresh bottle of mineral water. "It is scorching!" she complained, fanning herself.

"Wow! Teddy and Silver are in their own world," Annie observed, watching the couple. They were the definition of love.

Adrianna nodded. "I didn't see it at first, but now I can't see them _not _together. I even can't imagine what it would have been like if it had worked out between her and Liam."

"Liam and I dated too," Naomi added immediately.

Adrianna rolled her eyes, but said nothing to the contrary.

"We're living together," Annie said, almost defensively. She marveled at how quickly she could go from being almost friends to almost enemies. Annie watched Liam crash through the waves. He, Navid, and Teddy had started playing three-way dodge ball with the volleyball. Silver was on Teddy's back, with her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders.

Naomi's eyebrows arched. "Yeah...but that doesn't really count," she concluded after a moment.

"What?" Annie asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"_Liam and I dated_," Naomi repeated in a super-obvious tone. She began tracing hearts in the sand as if she had just made the winning point and the case was closed.

Annie was infuriated. Not that she was even with Liam or planning to be, but..."I heard. What's your point?"

"You can't seriously compare the two relationships," Naomi replied, adding L.C. hearts N.C. inside her hearts.

Adrianna couldn't stand to listen to anymore. "Naomi, you dated Liam for about as long as Annie has lived with him."

Both girls looked at each other in a stalemate.

"So you both need to stop acting all territorial!" Adrianna continued. "Why don't we go for a walk on the promenade?"

"Fine with me," Naomi agreed. "You coming?" she cast a challenging look at Annie.

"Sure," Annie said.

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Thanks for reading. Hope everyone has a great weekend:)


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for all the great reviews! I love hearing what you all think about each chapter, so keep commenting:)

Chapter 3

"Hey Liam?" Annie asked a few nights later, when she and Liam were watching tv in the apartment. Liam had spent the day working in the bar and Annie hung out at the mall will Naomi. She coerced Annie into her mission to purchase the perfect clothes and accessories for starting college, which Naomi believed was the most essential to projecting the right image and being very successful. Naomi kept insisting that college was a make you or break you experience, but Annie was worried Naomi's appetite for shopping was going to break her and her bank account before college ever got the chance.

"Yeah?"

"What did you think of me in high school?" Annie asked, while twirling a ringlet of her golden brown hair reflectively. She still couldn't get over the fact that fate had brought them back into each other's lives.

"I - why?" Liam responded uncertainly. He knew back then Annie was crazy about him and, after living together the past few days, he thought maybe if the circumstances had been different, he would have fallen for her. But high school was all in the past.

"I don't know," Annie shrugged like it was no big deal. Truthfully, in junior high and her freshman year of high school Liam had been the biggest deal in her life. But...being her brother Dixon's best friend, meant basically she had no chance.

"Girls never ask questions for no reason. So I can't answer until I know the reason."

Annie sighed. "And GUYS are always being difficult about nothing!"

"Is that so?" Liam stood up and walked to the kitchen. He pulled a pint of cookie dough ice cream from the freezer and began eating, while contemplating Annie's sudden interest in their high school relationship...or lack there-of. He knew she was probably staring daggers at him and, finally, it got to be too much. "Annie if you want to know how I felt about you, then look at your yearbook and you can read it all in black and white."

"Don't be ridiculous, Liam. You never signed my yearbook. I asked you to, but you acted like you wouldn't be caught dead signing a freshman's yearbook as a senior."

"I wrote in it. Anonymously." Liam smirked in her direction, eating another spoonful of ice-cream. He remembered that day. It was like he was 18 again, standing in the school parking lot, leaning up against the muscle car of one of his buddies. Annie sashaying over with a group of freshman girls. _Want to sign my yearbook? _she'd asked, barely making eye contact she was so nervous. Her friends were giggling and squealing all around her. He'd shaken his head no, especially not when all those losers aka his former friends were standing there just waiting for a reason to act like dicks. But then, there was some commotion, a bunch of guys started firing water balloons at them as a prank. Annie dropped her yearbook as a group of seniors chased her and her shrieking friends around the parking lot. He had picked it up. Watching her running in her black spaghetti strap dress and platform sandals, water balloons crashing around her circle of friends. He couldn't help but smile, Annie was always bursting with energy. Nobody was paying attention to him, so he scribbled a little message. _Annie, Remember the good times and remember to take chances. You taught me that._ It was the first thing that came to mind, so he went with it. He wasn't about to write her a poem or some monologue that looked ripped from some chick's diary.

"That's crazy," Annie said incredulously, breaking into his reminisces.

Liam shot her a look like she was the insane one. Ignoring him, she rushed to her room feeling exhilarated like it was christmas morning and she couldn't wait to find that yearbook and see what Liam wrote in it.

As soon as she left to find it, her phone rang. Liam knew better than to answer, but boundaries didn't deter him much. "Hello?"

"Annie? Where the fuck have you been?" A rude voice snapped.

"This isn't Annie but I don't like the tone your using."

"What are you doing with my girlfriend's phone?"

"Who is this?" Liam asked angrily.

"Patrick. I am Annie's boyfriend."

"The hell you are," Liam spat into the receiver.

"Who are you?" Patrick returned snidely. "Has my slutty, hoary girlfriend leading on some new placeholder?"

"None of your business who I am and Annie hasn't mentioned you once." Liam said.

"I don't know why my girlfriend would be so stupid, but nothing is coming between Annie and I anymore. You are nothing more than a bed warmer I will more than happily annihilate."

"We'll see about that Patrick. I think Annie can do a lot better than the scum of the Earth which you seem to be."

"Quit being a pussy and put Annie on!" Patrick demanded condescendingly.

"Not happening," Liam said disgustedly, promptly ending the call. He marched right into Annie's/Dixon's room and tossed her phone on the floor near where she was pulling out a stack of yearbooks.

"I found it!" she told him excitedly, not looking up as she paged through the pictures and messages in her old freshman yearbook. "Wait? Why do you look like that?" she asked, catching a glimpse of Liam's scowl.

"Like I just talked to your lunatic boyfriend? I don't know maybe because that's exactly happened."

"W-what?" Annie tried to comprehend what Liam was saying. Also, which of her exes could possibly have evoked this negative of a response in Liam.

"Who the hell is Patrick?" Liam asked, crossing his arms.

Annie's face bleached. His question sounded more like an accusation.

"Cuz he seems to think you're together." Liam continued harshly.

"Patrick," she finally managed to choke out, completely caught off guard by this worst case scenario happening. "We broke up when he got arrested for drug possession. He is not my boyfriend."

"Does he know that?" Liam asked rather unsympathetically.

"Yes. Of course. What kind of question is that?" she yelled at Liam.

"Well he must have amnesia because he seems to be under the impression you ARE his girlfriend."

Annie felt sick, she wanted to cry. It had taken forever to get over Patrick. He was sweet in the beginning, but then he discovered drugs after his older brother died in a car crash. He was never the same. He was constantly high and always suspicious of Annie. He even sent her friend Ethan into the hospital with a concussion because he thought she was seeing Ethan behind his back. But the breaking point was when he started slapping Annie around. "The last I heard from him, he was doing time in prison for drug dealing. We broke up before that though, but he used to stalk me trying to get back together. If anything I was relieved when he got arrested because I finally was free of him."

"Wow Annie, you really have great taste in guys," Liam commented sarcastically.

"For your information, he wasn't always like that. He- he just -had a lot of problems."

"Whatever," Liam said, turning to leave. He figured it was not his business, maybe he'd pass this on to Dixon but that was as far as he was getting involved. Then the phone rang again. And rang and rang.

"Hello?" Annie finally answered.

"About time!" Patrick's voice answered.

"Patrick? Is that you? How did you get my number," Annie asked. She sounded scared and that held Liam in the room.

"That's not important. Where are you? I need to see you?"

"I moved. Patrick we're over anyway. You know that."

"Listen slut, I did not survive the past year in prison for nothing but to lose my girlfriend. You belong to me! We love each other!" Patrick was being so loud Annie had to physically withdraw the phone from her ear, so Liam heard their entire exchange.

"Patrick please stop calling." Annie hung up. However, that did nothing to prevent Patrick from calling back repeatedly and proceeding to spam her inbox with countless voicemail and texts. Finally, Annie reached to answer.

"Don't," Liam said swiping at her phone to stop her from giving in to Patrick.

"You don't understand. I have to! Patrick's the type of guy that will stop at nothing to get his way."

"Give it to me then," Liam insisted.

"Liam, nooo," she tried pulling the phone back, but he had the obvious strength and height advantage.

"Hey there Patrick. Listen up, leave Annie the hell alone and quit calling this number unless you want a fight. Cuz you will most definitely be an even bigger loser than you already are." Liam warned coldly on no uncertain terms. Instead of arguing or retaliating, however, Patrick started laughing maniacally. Liam immediately ended the call and then turned her phone off for good measure.

"Thanks...I guess" Annie breathed a sigh of relief, feeling pretty shaken. It surprised her Liam stepped up because normally when things got heated between her and Patrick people looked the other way.

"Don't mention it."

"Patrick wasn't always a bad guy. He's just been consumed with this intense hatred since his brother's death."

"You shouldn't make excuses for him Annie. You're just being an enabler."

"What?! I'm not! It's just been really hard and and -" Annie's words trailed off as she broke down crying. This was a horrible mess. "Maybe I'm afraid of him Liam!" She came to LA for a fresh start and wanting to have fun and accomplish her dreams and now her past was haunting her in the worst way imaginable.

"Don't cry," Liam's voice softened considerably. He was taken aback by her tears. It was clear to him Patrick had caused her a lot of pain. Giving Annie a tight hug, he coaxed her off the floor where she had crumpled against the wall. They sat side by side on the bed, Liam letting her cry into his t-shirt. Cuddling against his chest, Annie felt safe and protected.

"Sorry," her voice cracked. Liam reached for her hand, not knowing what to say. Always more of a doer than a talker.

"You're a good guy Liam," she sniffled after a few minutes.

"Nah.."

She smiled at that, although her eyes were still shining with tears. "It's true, you are a good guy. I just don't think you hear it enough."

"Try never," he affirmed.

"Well I hope you know you can trust me. Anyway..." she reached down and scooped the yearbook off the floor at their feet. "Show me. What you wrote.."

"Alright," he actually felt a little vulnerable as he found the place with his message, then handing it back over to her. Annie traced his words with her finger. _Annie, Remember the good times and remember to take chances. You taught me that._

"Wow," It was one of those crazy unexpected moments that makes you feel connected to someone and for the first time Annie realized maybe she had gotten to Liam a little in high school. "I never knew you wrote this."

Liam shrugged. "It's no tear jerker or essay like some of this other stuff people wrote you."

"It's perfect, especially now that I know you wrote it." She flipped to the page with his photo. "Aww look at that!" she pointed at Liam's headshot.

"Don't you dare say I look like Bieber again."

"No...he's way cuter," she said teasingly.

"Yeah well we couldn't all be heartbreakers like you were in high school."

"Stop," Annie was laughing as they continued browsing through the pages. Happily, it was making her forget all about Patrick. At least for the moment.

"Do you think you'll go to your high school reunion?" Annie asked snuggling back into his arms.

"I don't know. I don't really have any unfinished business.."

"Oh please! What about that girl Cassie you went to prom with?" Annie showed him the senior prom page, knowing that he and Cassie were one of the featured couples.

"Haha, yeah and wind up realizing there's some 10 year old kid with half my DNA? No thank you."

Annie gave him a look of terror. "Oh I never -"

"Kidding. God Annie I wasn't that dumb back then."

"I knew that," Annie said quickly, feeling a little flustered by her own reaction.

After a while, Liam realized Annie had fallen asleep against his shoulder. It reminded him of something Navid said about how you know a girl is forever when she falls asleep listening to your stories. That gave him chills. Instead of moving her, though, he grabbed the remote from Dixon's night stand and watched sports center for a bit. Eventually, he was yawning too and, at some point, fell asleep. The next morning, Liam couldn't remember the last time he felt so peaceful and slept so good. Annie had never spent the entire night with a guy, but sleeping next to Liam, listening to him breathing steadily it felt completely amazing. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world right then because reality was better than any of her dreams could possibly be.

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Thanks for reading! Next chapter should be up in a week, hopefully I should have time to write it by then.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks so much to all reading this fic and especially those who favorited and are following it!

This chapter is set a week into the future from the previous one. Liam and Annie are still living together and Naomi and Annie are becoming friends but are still a little competitive.

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"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who deserves to be with Liam most of all?" Naomi asked Annie while they sat people watching at the Oceanside Oasis..

Eating, shopping, beach, clubs it was becoming their routine. Two weeks elapsed and Dixon was still MIA, but promised he'd be back Saturday.

"Whatever," Annie said not amused, stirring her strawberry smoothie.. She refused to play into Naomi's hand without a fight. A few minutes ago Liam had shown up with some beach bunny and Annie had been on edge ever since.

"Why are you acting like someone laced your drink with cyanide?" Naomi asked, as she finished applying a coat of cotton candy lip gloss. "TADA! Perfect!" Her smile broadened considerably at her own reflection, she was wearing a low-slung denim skirt, black tube top exposing her pierced navel, and her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail showing off black door knocker earrings.

The skyline and shimmering ocean blended together across the horizon. Too bad Annie's view was spoiled by Liam and his date lunching on the terrace. She cringed as the fun size blond girl clasped her hand dramatically over her heart, leaning into Liam affectionately. She was wearing a hot pink mini dress with matching sandals, headband, and a white-knit sweater. She clearly worshipped pink.

"I'm not," Annie lied, as two more text messages from Patrick alerted menacingly on her cell. Why did she always attract the wrong guys? "I'm just wishing I had ordered something stronger."

"I don't get it," Naomi said, "if you want to be with Liam that bad, now is the perfect opportunity."

"Seriously? He'll think I'm purposely trying to sabotage his date."

"Are you kidding? Not with that innocent look you pull off so flawlessly. Besides, you need to destroy the competition before she becomes a real threat."

"I don't know.." Annie said doubtfully, cursing Liam for parading his model girlfriend around in front of her. Just a week ago she was waking up next to him and, now, that might as well have been another lifetime.

"You know he's probably only with her because he wants a date for Adrianna's 21st birthday party at Stardust Saturday."

"So that's why Dixon's making a point to be home by then. He wants to hit up new clients. He couldn't care less about seeing me," Annie fumed. She couldn't look away fast enough as Liam's date dipped a tortilla in spinach and artichoke dip and daintily fed it to him.

"Oh don't look so heartbroken. Dixon's no different than any other guy ...I mean almost any other..." Naomi broke off mid-sentence, having inadvertently triggered a cascade of painful memories.

Annie knew Naomi was referring to Max, the two of them had bonded over their previous bad relationships and Max was the only ex Naomi was clearly still carrying a torch for. Not that she ever admitted that, but it was obvious to Annie.

"Besides Liam is probably purposely cavorting around here to make me jealous," Naomi quickly added, sassily, before Annie offered her some Max sympathy.

"Sure he is."

"Too bad Silver got held up at Teddy's tennis match, she could have filled us in on all the details of Ade's party."

"What's her deal anyway? Did she and Liam really date before I got here?" Annie asked curiously.

"Well, for a minute. But now she's with Teddy and they're totally solid. Even to a fault, look she can't even hang out anymore."

"It just seems like ...I don't know," Annie felt incredibly frustrated.

"Like Liam will date everyone but you?" Naomi offered.

Annie shrugged. It did seem that way.

"You know your problem is you have history with Liam," Naomi continued, figuring she hit the mark in reading Annie's emotions. "And guys would rather go for someone new than someone they knew. I mean its kind of the opposite of how girls operate," she explained sagely.

"And where did you learn all this?" Annie asked.

"My older sister. I mean, true, she's kind of a flake but she does have her moments."

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Soon, Liam and Jasmine were done lunching. They rose in tandem and at that moment Liam's eyes met Annie's. Not realizing she had been there the whole time, he bolted apart from Jasmine. Continuing to hold Annie's gaze, he ushered Jasmine forward toward where his motorcycle was parked. The girl smiled angelically and gave him a peck on the cheek before heading off.

Annie felt all the blood rushing to her head as Liam converged at their table.

"Hey," he said. "I didn't realize I had an audience."

Annie's face flushed upwards of a million degrees. "We didn't know you were here either."

"Really?" Liam cast her a strange look.

"I mean at first..."

"She means ...we just noticed you too," Naomi interjected not missing a beat.

Annie nodded.

"So is she the lucky girl that's going to be your plus one at Ade's party?" Naomi asked.

"Maybe," Liam looked uncomfortable. "I haven't asked her yet. Jasmine and I are...just...in the moment. I may be better off going as a free agent."

"Right," Naomi laughed like he'd said something ridiculously funny.. Gazing into his gorgeous hypnotizing eyes, Annie felt like she couldn't form one intelligible remark.

"Well don't think about asking me. I have plans." Naomi informed him promptly.

"I bet," Liam responded. "Not that it matters since Stardust is 21 and over."

"So otherwise I'd be your first choice?" Naomi deduced cattily.

"Don't read too much into what I say, I'm not a girl."

"If by that you mean you have no filter, I couldn't agree more," Naomi responded.

"Well, Naomi, always a pleasure," Liam said sarcastically, backing away. "Guess I'll see you back at our apartment Annie."

"Okay," Annie smiled. Liam had said _our _apartment! He could have just as easily, not to mention more accurately, said _his_ apartment or _the_ apartment. It was unfathomable what one little pronoun could do to her heart.

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Liam stopped his motorcycle in front of Jasmine's job where she worked at a flower boutique. Jasmine had a terrible habit of catastrophizing everything and right now she couldn't get her mind off the gorgeous brunette Liam had interrupted their fabulous lunch for. Liam leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.

"Liam," she began sweetly. "Why didn't you introduce me to your friend before?"

"Who?" Liam asked,

"Liam!" Jasmine shrilled, stopping kissing him abruptly. "You know who I mean...back at Oasis," she prompted becoming irritated by his evasiveness.

"Oh, yeah that's just Naomi and Annie."

"Who?"

"Uh.." Liam looked away. "Aren't you gonna be late getting back?"

"I don't care!" Jasmine crossed her arms. "I'm waiting! How do you know those girls?"

"Well Annie lives with us and Naomi -"

"SHE LIVES WITH YOU? You never told me that."

"Well we've only gone out a couple times," Liam protested. "Obviously you don't know everything about me."

"Well I think you should have at least mentioned that detail. It's pretty important."

"Not really. She's Dixon's little sister and f.y.i. I didn't have a choice in the arrangement."

Jasmine studied his face unconvinced.

"Seriously. She's only staying until she starts at California U. I mean Dixon insisted. Come on babe you have no reason to be upset." Liam kissed her neck softly.

"Well my last boyfriend said the same thing, while his bedroom was a revolving door to sluts."

Boyfriend? Liam stopped listening after Jasmine dropped that bomb. Was Jasmine seriously comparing him to her boyfriend? Because he definitely was not her boyfriend and he definitely did not appreciate her possessive attitude. "Jasmine listen I think you have the wrong idea-"

"Don't put this on me Liam! You should have been honest about Annie in the first place. Lies are no way to start a relationship."

"But I told you the truth when you asked and besides I wouldn't say we are starting -"

"Liam I need to get to work. Just text me later. Ok?" Jasmine kissed him deeply, caressing the back of his neck before flouncing off towards the boutique entrance.

Liam stared after her, feeling like he just got bulldozed. True, Jasmine was ridiculously hot, but her clingy attitude was completely unattractive.

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Later that night, Jasmine was facebook chatting surrounded by lacey bordering, teddy bears holding hearts, and various flower arrangements. She always made it a point to appear busy in case the night manager dropped by unexpectedly.

Suddenly, someone was repeatedly ringing the front desk bell.

"May I help you?" Jasmine asked flatly, strolling up to the counter.

The gorgeous guy - at least 6 feet tall with spiky brown hair and green eyes - stared back at her. "I want to order something for someone special."

Jasmine rolled her eyes, another love sap. Not that she wasn't mildly jealous Liam never thought to buy her flowers. "Of course you do."

"Yeah, for my girlfriend Annie," he said her name like she was a princess, Jasmine found his affection nauseating.

"Yes.." she prodded.

"I want to have something gorgeous sent to her."

"Delivery address?" Jasmine asked coolly, tearing a fresh order sheet off the stack.

"160 Gold Crest Beverly Hills, 90210."

Jasmine copied half of it down before something struck her about the address.

"And I want the card to read 'Annie, you're always in my heart and on my mind. Love Patrick' or wait maybe 'Annie I'll always love-"

"Hang on," Jasmine interrupted rudely. Patrick was so lost in sentimental overdrive he hadn't noticed she stopped writing. "What's the address again?"

Patrick looked a little irritated, but repeated it.

Jasmine gasped. "And you said your girlfriend is Annie?"

"Yes."

"Did you know this is my boyfriend's address?" Jasmine demanded. "And your girlfriend is the slut trying to poach him away from me?!"

At the word slut, Patrick's face contorted into an evil scowl. "Listen here bitch," he yelled slamming his hand over the order sheet, causing Jasmine to jump back. "No one talks about my girl that way!"

"S-sorry," Jasmine replied cautiously, wishing the night supervisor _was_ making rounds tonight, now that she was alone with and at the mercy of this volatile stranger. "It just caught me by surprise. Do you have a picture by any chance?"

Patrick considered her request a minute, then whipped out his blackberry. He scrolled through several shots of him and Annie. Annie was most definitely the girl who had stolen Liam's attention during lunch.

"That's her, the girl living with Liam," Jasmine confirmed.

"No. That can't be right. Her mother said she was staying with her brother Dixon."

"Well Liam lives with Dixon too."

"Damn!" Patrick brought his fist to his mouth irately. Anger clenched his heart, making him feel out of control.

"Hey! I'm not any happier with this arrangement than you are," Jasmine snapped.

"Are you sure about this?" Patrick reeled.

"Yes duh I saw the sl-, er, Annie with my own eyes."

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Patrick cursed repeatedly.

"Now, why don't you stop doubting me so we can decide how to fix this problem." Jasmine suggested lowering her voice conspiratorially.

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Hope everyone liked this chapter. The next is Adrianna's 21st BDAY! Although some people won't be celebrating as much as others. Stay tuned!


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